China’s stakes in the region and why Beijing has interests in enhancing its security role in the Sahel.
Youth participation should be inclusive and integrated deeply in dialogues, so young people do not inherit socio-economic and political problems that could have been negated through their involvement.
Africans realised early on in the pandemic there was a tough period ahead – repeating the long pattern of Africa feeling the worst impacts of global dynamics.
Eastern Africa has two primary terrorism hotspots. The first is Somalia. It has experienced continuous instability since 1991, due to clan-based warlords and the lack of a functioning central government. Secondly, similar to Somalia, the eastern part of the DRC has been a hotspot since its own civil war from 1997 to 2003.
On 24 November 2021, news about the ‘Botswana Variant,” now known as Omicron, which is said to have 32 mutations, was reported by Mail Online and other international news media. While the global north is already inoculating booster shots, Botswana is one of the countries in the continent playing catch up trying to attain herd immunity.
Since October 2017, an insurgency emerged in Mozambique’s northernmost province of Cabo Delgado, resulting in numerous terrorist attacks, claiming nearly 3,000 lives, and displacing some 800,000 people since 2020. In addition to the current military reprisals, a more comprehensive approach should recognise both the fact that the insurgents are the “sons of Mocímboa da Praia” and that at a certain point in time, they became radicalised and turned towards violent extremism.
China’s reputation game in Africa is of strategic and vital importance as Chinese engagements (investments, infrastructure, and other projects) typically receive positive ratings on the continent while generating controversy and outcry in other parts of the world.
Malawi has quietly progressed in developing its formal National Peace Architecture (NPA). The NPA’s pilot structures stand Malawi in good stead to handle potential regional contagion effects deriving from instability in northern Mozambique.
The “strongly-worded statement” has always been a foreign policy instrument for diplomats responding to situations of concern. There is a growing awareness that statements issued by intergovernmental organisations at the onset of crises play a catalytic role in setting the tone for the international response.
The construction of the community of destiny passes by the emergence and the formatting of a community citizenship which does not go without strong moments of awareness. The day of regional integration is given to us to revive, stimulate and develop this awareness of our belonging and community destiny within the Community that forms the eleven Member States of ECCAS.
The Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) has decided to establish a Corps of Young Volunteers dedicated to work towards regional integration and development.
In order to strengthen cooperation in the area of peace and security, the Central African Peace and Security Council (COPAX), was created in 2004 not only to deploy military and civilian missions but also to participate in mediation in crisis situations in the sub-region.
ECCAS has launched a competition for finding an anthem and a motto for the Commission. This will help to finalise the reform of ECCAS which is aimed at the acceleration of the integrating agenda based on clearly identified shared values, around unifying regional symbols.
A key factor in promoting effective PCRD relates to coordination and coherence. Effective PCRD also requires coherence and coordination in the deployment of efforts in post-conflict areas. Effective PCRD also requires a consideration of the root causes of conflict. The centrality of PCRD as a means for sustainable peace cannot be underestimated.
The outbreak of COVID-19 has not only exposed the vulnerabilities of many countries, but has in some cases exacerbated existing fault lines yielding conflictual outcomes that might take many years to address.
Africa is one of the most vulnerable continents to climate change and climate variability, with almost all top 10 world’s most vulnerable countries based in Sub-Saharan Africa. In this context, it is imperative to leave no one behind in our collective efforts to achieve the African Development Bank’s High-5s, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Agenda 2063 and Silencing the Guns, and the Paris Agreement’s goals. Time is not on our side.
Will responsibility, solidarity and enlightened self-interest get the job done this time? Below are a few markers of minimum gains that Kenya considers critical if Glasgow is to be considered a success.
Progress on global collective action to deal with climate change is a necessity and the last UN report on where we are at shows that we are not close to meeting the targeted emissions by 2050